Our History
The Beginnings of REACH
The beginnings of REACH go back to a discovery that Community Pastor Michael Veenema made when he began work as a Presbyterian Chaplain with Youth Offenders in Nova Scotia, Canada in 2012. When he shared the stories of Jesus Christ in a way that respects listeners for who they are, there was a surprising welcome! This discovery set the stage for a new work called REACH in which we resolved not to try to make people come to church, but to meet them where they are.
Since those early days, REACH has become organized and has received the support of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. REACH is a mission of the church. This support has enabled REACH to connect with many other people in the community. We help people worship in three care institutions in the Annapolis Valley. We work closely with Open Arms to support, pray with, and provide informal worship for unhoused people and others on the streets. REACH continues to develop videos and an online presence with resources for families, individuals, seniors in care, and people receiving mental health care. Our mission: To share the good news of Jesus Christ on the streets and screens, and in the homes and care organizations, of the Annapolis Valley.
Our Pastor
Michael Veenema
I grew up in a remarkable community of people. These were Dutch Calvinists who migrated to Canada during the 1950s. Today you will see Christian elementary schools, high schools, and universities in central and western Canada established by these people. They believed that it was imperative not only to create strong churches and families, but also to establish schools for young people – with or without government funding! They rejected (and still do) the modern notion that education is mainly the business of the state.
The school I went to changed my life. For one thing, when I vandalized a teacher’s car, she took me aside to express her forgiveness. I will never forget that. Second, I learned about the history of Christianity, “warts and all,” and the core teachings of the Christian community.
I wandered. It was the nineteen sixties and seventies. But on the other side of that, a clerk at a bookstore understood my questionings. She introduced me to the book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and its author, C. S. Lewis. I was hooked. I drank up everything of his I could lay eyes on. In a way, he saved my life from spiraling down.
Later, I went to theological school to become a minister in the church. That’s been an interesting journey. Maybe the best way to look at that journey is that it is really a very long footnote to the love and education that God stamped onto my soul.
Currently, Mike Veenema is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. He has been a chaplain at Western University, and in correctional services, and he has been the pastor of a United Church and two Baptist Churches. For a number of years he has been building REACH – “a ministry in the streets and screens, and in the homes and public institutions of the Annapolis Valley,” NS, Canada. Mike continues to write, speak, lead worshiping communities, and reach out to a diverse population. He lives in Port Williams, NS with his wife, and together they have three children. He is an amateur guitarist and songwriter, and a chain saw user.
Our History
Our Partner Organizations
Becoming Part of the REACH Network
For Households, Care Institutions, Churches, Community Support Groups
To have worship brought to your location, or to learn about receiving personal support, please contact Community Pastor and Chaplain, Mike Veenema. We look forward to hearing from you!